Pacesetter Vol XLI No. 1 Broadsheet Issue
By Monica Licaros and Clarisse Inao
Two-decade Korean curse ends, Gilas grabs a slot to World Cup 2014
For the first time in almost 28 years, Gilas Team Pilipinas not only defeated South Korea but also advanced to the FIBA World Cup before a capacity crowd of rabid supporters in the semi-finals of the 27th FIBA-Asia Championship and finished second overall in the finals, bowing to Iran with 85-71.
It has been a history of heartbreak for the Philippines against South Korea in international basketball. The Philippines has not won against Korea since the 1985 Asian Basketball Championship. That was the Philippines’ last Asian title in basketball. But after that breathtaking game last August 10 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena with 18, 631 Filipinos in attendance, Philippines finally trounced Korea at the home turf with 86-79—and that will go down as an all-time classic.
However, it seemed like all the fortune was used up by the Philippines for that bout so as to end their long-time rout to fellow Asians. The RP Team headed by Coach Chot Reyes maneuvered FIBA-Asia’s final match last August 11 without injured big man Marcus Douthit, allowing Iran’s behemoth and former NBA cager Hamed Haddadi to rule the boards.
With the FIBA World Cup 2014 in Spain up for PH, there must be some changes or add-ons with its roster of players. Though they ended the Asian leg in a good note, having one big man won’t be enough for them to match the heights of world basketball greats so as vying for World Cup honors will not be impossible for the Philippines.
Perlas ng Silangan, still with high chances to bounce its way to SEAG
For Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), sending Women's Basketball Team to biennial Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) is within possibility, only waiting for Philippine Olympic Committee's decision.
The Women's team known for its moniker 'Perlas ng Silangan' met the criteria set by the committee after snatching the second spot in the previous SEA Games two years ago held in Indonesia. But the only problem is the limited slot in the Philippine team sending off to Myanmar to compete.
There's no doubt, Philippine sports is trying to redeem itself by winning big games and gaining the attention, not only of their fellow Filipinos, but including the international sports community. So far, the Philippine Men's Basketball Team did their job by snatching silver medal in the previously held FIBA Asian Championship, and booking a ticket to World Cup. But how will its counterpart do the same thing if they're not given the chance to prove themselves first?
Redeeming themselves means they have to be exposed. They have to play games and win those games, each victory carrying them to bigger arenas. Obviously, for a Philippine team to win big games in bigger arenas, the country must invest for them or else someone else will, like how businessman Manny Pangilinan did to Philippine Azkals and Gilas Pilipinas. Victories don't come overnight, and for a sport squad, they don't come for free.
Boxing career, not done yet for Manny Pacquiao
The “People’s Champ” Manny Pacquiao will attempt to prove his competence once more as he will go up the ring against Brandon Rios in a welterweight battle at the Cotai Arena inside Venetian Macao Hotel in Macao, China on November 23.
Daring move. This is what a lot may think about Pacquiao coming from a sixth-round knockout loss from Juan Manuel Marquez last December 2012. He’s got great power in the ring, and he has the responsibility to keep it that way. But that power seems not to materialize anymore. He needs redemption, and that’s what this match with Rios will give him, if the universe would conspire at his expense.
Daring move. Yet again. Pacquiao (54-5-2, 38 KO) will be facing Brandon Rios (31-1-1, 23 KO), an old training camp pal of Antonio Margarito. The California-based boxer thinks that isn't what he used to be. “Manny Pacquiao was the best but everybody gets old,” so he is certain that their bout won't go down like Pacquiao's 2010 brutalizing of the older and bigger Margarito.
Daring move. Again and again. Taking the fight to China—with whom Philippines is having a feud with, Team Pacquiao should hope not to upset the American market they used to cater to ever since one emerged to be “The Manny Pacquiao.”
Pinay Futbol League, Malditas: the dawn of PH Women’s Football
Gone was the season of male dominance and of the Azkals in the Philippine football scene as the Pinay Futbol League flourished with the Philippine Malditas rising to the 75th spot at the International Football Federation (FIFA) World Rankings.
As the United Football League (UFL) plugged a gap in men’s football when it started, the Pinay Futbol League managed to do the same as it gave nine teams, with seven university-based, the league competition experience, having UST Lady Tigers as the team to beat, as they finished on top. In second place were the FEU Lady Tamaraws, while the Ateneo Lady Eagles settled for a bronze.
With the support of Philippine football fans and corporate sponsorship, the league was not only run well, but it has the makings to grow as quick as the UFL did for men’s football, although they lack media coverage unlike the said men’s local tourney.
Meanwhile, the Malditas climbed to 75th in FIFA this August from 76th last June, their previous all-time high without competing since May. They remained 16th in Asia and fourth-best in Southeast Asia, behind Vietnam (28th), Thailand (31st) and Myanmar (43rd).
Though the Philippine Azkals also upgraded in the global standings from 143rd to 141st, it appears to be a bigger leap for their female counterparts despite these male kicks being way more popular with all the endorsements and limelight exposure they enjoy.
New breeds of shuttlers dominated a US Tilt
Siblings Mark Shelley and Malvinne Ann Alcala contributed three gold medals each to Team Philippines to finish a 12-gold medal tow in the 21st Annual Junior International Championships-Wes Schoppe Memorial in Manhattan Beach, California, recently.
The eight-member team headed by national coaches Malvin Alcala and Allan de Leon dominated the badminton arena, toppling 114 players from Mexico, Chile, Guatemala, Ghana, Peru, the Philippines and the United States. Mark impressed his class by ruling three age categories – boys’ Under-17 and -19 singles and the U-15 doubles, while Malvinne ruled in the girls’ U-19 and U-22 and U-19 mixed doubles categories of the annual event
It seems like it’s a roller coaster ride for Philippine Badminton community because after the huge finish of Philippine team in an international stint, former No. 1 player Karyn Cecilia Velez unfortunately died in a terrible accident, leaving the country’s Badminton community in the hands of future rising superstars like Alcala duo.
A death of an inspiration can discourage young hopefuls, but it should be the other way around. It can fuel up the desire of young shuttlers not only the Alcalas but the number of Filipino badminton enthusiasts that can also represent the country in the future. Velez once made the country proud, so her legacy must not be put to waste. Beating Pan-American teams is a huge achievement and after am unfortunate death, everyone is hoping for recovery.
Two-decade Korean curse ends, Gilas grabs a slot to World Cup 2014
For the first time in almost 28 years, Gilas Team Pilipinas not only defeated South Korea but also advanced to the FIBA World Cup before a capacity crowd of rabid supporters in the semi-finals of the 27th FIBA-Asia Championship and finished second overall in the finals, bowing to Iran with 85-71.
It has been a history of heartbreak for the Philippines against South Korea in international basketball. The Philippines has not won against Korea since the 1985 Asian Basketball Championship. That was the Philippines’ last Asian title in basketball. But after that breathtaking game last August 10 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena with 18, 631 Filipinos in attendance, Philippines finally trounced Korea at the home turf with 86-79—and that will go down as an all-time classic.
However, it seemed like all the fortune was used up by the Philippines for that bout so as to end their long-time rout to fellow Asians. The RP Team headed by Coach Chot Reyes maneuvered FIBA-Asia’s final match last August 11 without injured big man Marcus Douthit, allowing Iran’s behemoth and former NBA cager Hamed Haddadi to rule the boards.
With the FIBA World Cup 2014 in Spain up for PH, there must be some changes or add-ons with its roster of players. Though they ended the Asian leg in a good note, having one big man won’t be enough for them to match the heights of world basketball greats so as vying for World Cup honors will not be impossible for the Philippines.
Perlas ng Silangan, still with high chances to bounce its way to SEAG
For Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), sending Women's Basketball Team to biennial Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) is within possibility, only waiting for Philippine Olympic Committee's decision.
The Women's team known for its moniker 'Perlas ng Silangan' met the criteria set by the committee after snatching the second spot in the previous SEA Games two years ago held in Indonesia. But the only problem is the limited slot in the Philippine team sending off to Myanmar to compete.
There's no doubt, Philippine sports is trying to redeem itself by winning big games and gaining the attention, not only of their fellow Filipinos, but including the international sports community. So far, the Philippine Men's Basketball Team did their job by snatching silver medal in the previously held FIBA Asian Championship, and booking a ticket to World Cup. But how will its counterpart do the same thing if they're not given the chance to prove themselves first?
Redeeming themselves means they have to be exposed. They have to play games and win those games, each victory carrying them to bigger arenas. Obviously, for a Philippine team to win big games in bigger arenas, the country must invest for them or else someone else will, like how businessman Manny Pangilinan did to Philippine Azkals and Gilas Pilipinas. Victories don't come overnight, and for a sport squad, they don't come for free.
Boxing career, not done yet for Manny Pacquiao
The “People’s Champ” Manny Pacquiao will attempt to prove his competence once more as he will go up the ring against Brandon Rios in a welterweight battle at the Cotai Arena inside Venetian Macao Hotel in Macao, China on November 23.
Daring move. This is what a lot may think about Pacquiao coming from a sixth-round knockout loss from Juan Manuel Marquez last December 2012. He’s got great power in the ring, and he has the responsibility to keep it that way. But that power seems not to materialize anymore. He needs redemption, and that’s what this match with Rios will give him, if the universe would conspire at his expense.
Daring move. Yet again. Pacquiao (54-5-2, 38 KO) will be facing Brandon Rios (31-1-1, 23 KO), an old training camp pal of Antonio Margarito. The California-based boxer thinks that isn't what he used to be. “Manny Pacquiao was the best but everybody gets old,” so he is certain that their bout won't go down like Pacquiao's 2010 brutalizing of the older and bigger Margarito.
Daring move. Again and again. Taking the fight to China—with whom Philippines is having a feud with, Team Pacquiao should hope not to upset the American market they used to cater to ever since one emerged to be “The Manny Pacquiao.”
Pinay Futbol League, Malditas: the dawn of PH Women’s Football
Gone was the season of male dominance and of the Azkals in the Philippine football scene as the Pinay Futbol League flourished with the Philippine Malditas rising to the 75th spot at the International Football Federation (FIFA) World Rankings.
As the United Football League (UFL) plugged a gap in men’s football when it started, the Pinay Futbol League managed to do the same as it gave nine teams, with seven university-based, the league competition experience, having UST Lady Tigers as the team to beat, as they finished on top. In second place were the FEU Lady Tamaraws, while the Ateneo Lady Eagles settled for a bronze.
With the support of Philippine football fans and corporate sponsorship, the league was not only run well, but it has the makings to grow as quick as the UFL did for men’s football, although they lack media coverage unlike the said men’s local tourney.
Meanwhile, the Malditas climbed to 75th in FIFA this August from 76th last June, their previous all-time high without competing since May. They remained 16th in Asia and fourth-best in Southeast Asia, behind Vietnam (28th), Thailand (31st) and Myanmar (43rd).
Though the Philippine Azkals also upgraded in the global standings from 143rd to 141st, it appears to be a bigger leap for their female counterparts despite these male kicks being way more popular with all the endorsements and limelight exposure they enjoy.
New breeds of shuttlers dominated a US Tilt
Siblings Mark Shelley and Malvinne Ann Alcala contributed three gold medals each to Team Philippines to finish a 12-gold medal tow in the 21st Annual Junior International Championships-Wes Schoppe Memorial in Manhattan Beach, California, recently.
The eight-member team headed by national coaches Malvin Alcala and Allan de Leon dominated the badminton arena, toppling 114 players from Mexico, Chile, Guatemala, Ghana, Peru, the Philippines and the United States. Mark impressed his class by ruling three age categories – boys’ Under-17 and -19 singles and the U-15 doubles, while Malvinne ruled in the girls’ U-19 and U-22 and U-19 mixed doubles categories of the annual event
It seems like it’s a roller coaster ride for Philippine Badminton community because after the huge finish of Philippine team in an international stint, former No. 1 player Karyn Cecilia Velez unfortunately died in a terrible accident, leaving the country’s Badminton community in the hands of future rising superstars like Alcala duo.
A death of an inspiration can discourage young hopefuls, but it should be the other way around. It can fuel up the desire of young shuttlers not only the Alcalas but the number of Filipino badminton enthusiasts that can also represent the country in the future. Velez once made the country proud, so her legacy must not be put to waste. Beating Pan-American teams is a huge achievement and after am unfortunate death, everyone is hoping for recovery.